Index device



Sept. 28 1926.

J. H. RAND INDEX DEVICE Filed March 2, 1923' r M g Patented Sept. 28,192fi.

marten stares rennet rarnnr entice.

JAMES H. RAND, OF N ORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 RAND KARDEX COMPANY, INC., DIE-NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

INDEX DEVICE.

Application filed March 2, 1923.

Th s invention pertains to index guides such for example as division cards or folders provided with independent tabs projecting from their edges and arranged to hold index strips, labels or the like, and relates more particularly to the means for attaching the tab to the body of the card, folder or other supporting element. A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a guide card and a. tab embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1 partly broken away to indicate details of construction; and.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a slight modification.

@ne well-known and desirable form of index tab consists of a piece of transparent sheet meterial'such as celluloid doubled or folded to provide a pocket to receive the index strip or label and having its foldssecured to the opposite faces of the supporting element. For convenience in description such a supporting element is herein referred to as a card and may be the guide card of a card or correspondence filing system, but as the invention is not in any manner concerned with the specific character or purpose of the supporting element, the term card as herein employed is to be taken in a genericsense and to include any indexed element including cards, folders, envelopes, etc, and irrespective of the particular material of which such elements may be made. While the type of tab above referred to forms an efficient holder for the index slip or label, protecting the latter from dirt and injury, its edges, which overlap the faces of the card, tend to catch on the papers, or other material which may be filed between adjacent cards, thus interfering with the tree removal for consultation of such papers etc. and sometimes causing the user of the file to overlook important documents or in- Serial No. 622,409.

lln accordance with the present invention the index tab is secured to the card in such a inanner as to avoid the exposure of its edges to contact with the contents of the index, while providing a strong and secure connection between the card and the tab which suffices to hold the parts in proper operative relation at all times and even after long continued use. 7 v

In the specific embodiment of the invention herein illustrated the supporting element or card is indicated at 1. At a suitable point in the edge of this card a narrow pocket is provided, preferably by splitting the material of the card to form from: and rear plies 2, 3 respectively. The tab herein disclosed consists of a strip of thin sheet celluloid l bent at the points 5, 6 and 7 to form an open-ended pocket or channel 8 within which the index element such for example as a strip 9 of Bristol board, paper or the like is positioned. The bending of this strip is such as to bring its end portions 10, 11 into face to face contact, the contacting portions collectively constituting the attaching member of the tab. lit desired these end portions may be secured together by-the use of a suitable adhesive although this is not essential. The attaching portion of the tab comprising the end members 10, 11 is inserted in the pocket at the upper edge of the card 1 betweenthe plies 2 and 13, and these plies are then secured to the attaching portion of the tab by means of cement or other suitable adhesive. As thus arranged, the edges of the attaching portion of the tab are entirely concealed between the plies 2, 3 of the card within the substance of which the attaching portion is thus embedded so that the edges of the tab can not contact with papers or other material filed in the index. In Fig. 2 of the present drawings the thickness of the tab material is, much exaggerated in order clearly to illustrate the invention, but in the practical embodiment of the invention the material would interfere with the replacement of the card in the file after removal or which would revent-the free removal of papers or other articles from between a series of such cards.

In Fig. 4 the card 1 is shown as provided with a tab 4 of the same general type andconstruction as that above described. The attaching portion of this tab is also secured between separated plies of the card but these plies are secured to the attaching portion by means of eyelets 12-, 13 respectively, passing through the respective plies and the end portions of the tab. It is obvious that either cement or eyelets may be employed separately as the securing means, or that they may be used in conjunction if desired, but in most cases it will be found that the cement without the eyelets is sufiicient for the purpose of permanently and securely holding the parts in assembled relation.

I claim:

1. An index device comprising a card divided at. its edge to form opposed plies, an

index tab having an attaching portion dis {posed between said plies, and means for uniting said plies and the attaching portion of the tab.

2. An index device comprising a card split at its edge to form a narrow pocket, and an index tab having an attaching portion disposed within the pocket and secured by adhesive to the opposite walls thereof.

3. An index device, comprising a card divided at its edge to form opposed plies, an index member having a. thin, resilient attaching portion disposed between said plies,

and means foruniting said plies and the attaching portion of the tab.

4. An index device, comprising a card divided at its edge to form opposed lies, an index .member having a thin res ient attachin portion disposed between said plies, said p 'es ,and attaching portion being adhesively secured together.

, Signed by meat Boston, Mass, this 23rd day of February, 1923.

- JAMES H. RAND. 

